As we aim to deliver the highest quality of care through the recent surge of COVID-19 infections, we offer the following general advice:
If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you should notify any close contacts from within the past 2 days. Acetaminophen and/or Ibuprofen can be used for fever or pain, and you should also drink plenty of fluids. Regardless of vaccination status, testing positive for COVID-19 requires isolation for 10 days from the onset of symptoms, or if you are asymptomatic, 10 days from the date of the positive test result.
Please contact the office (preferably by MyChart) for a telehealth visit with one of our providers. Based on the results of this visit, an in-person evaluation may be recommended at our Acute Care Center located in Westwood. If you are experiencing respiratory difficulty, you should go to the Emergency Room.
If you have been exposed, please follow the CDC guidelines based on vaccination status with respect to quarantine and testing. If you have been exposed and become symptomatic, you should begin isolation and follow the guidance listed above.
At the moment, testing is in high demand and there is limited availability. We will work to provide you with a test when able, but also encourage you to explore local testing options.
More information and guidance can be obtained at the CDC website.
The US FDA has announced patient who fit the following criteria may receive a Booster of either the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
These individuals are patients actively being treated for or with:
- cancer or chemotherapy
- history of receiving a transplant
- inflammatory diseases on high dose steroids, alkylating agents, anti-metabolites, TNF blockers, and other biologics
- advanced HIV
No prescription or note is needed to receive the booster shot.
While it is preferred patients be given the same type of vaccine initially administered, it is acceptable to receive either Pfizer or Moderna, regardless of which vaccine was initially administered. At this time, an additional dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is not recommended, nor is an additional dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, for those who initially received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
It is anticipated that a booster will be recommended for all individuals in the coming weeks to months. As the details become clear, we will continue to communicate more on this topic.
The latest information on the vaccine can be found on the CDC Website.
COVID-19 is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus. Most cases of COVID-19 are mild to moderate, like the common cold. But it can be more severe in older adults and people with chronic health conditions.
The virus is most likely to be spread from person to person by droplets when coughing and from contact with surfaces where those droplets have landed. Since this virus is new, health authorities continue to carefully watch how this virus spreads. More information on how this virus spreads can be found on the State of NJ Department of Health’s website
To prevent the spread of germs during the COVID-19 pandemic, you should also wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to clean hands BEFORE and AFTER:
- Touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
- Touching your mask
- Entering and leaving a public place
- Touching an item or surface that may be frequently touched by other people, such as door handles, tables, gas pumps, shopping carts, or electronic cashier registers/screens
Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.
Wear a mask over your nose and mouth to help prevent getting and spreading COVID-19.
